1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to telecommunications and, in particular, to managing a caller's position in a hold queue. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to enabling callers to adjust in position within a hold queue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many companies provide telephone-based access to help staff, sales personnel, representatives, and automated menus. Where high telephone call traffic is typical in telephone access to a company's representatives, automatic call distribution systems (ACDs) are often employed within call center operations to provide an even and systematic distribution of incoming calls to multiple representatives. ACDs typically provide incoming calls with a direct connection to an available representative until all representatives are busy. Then, once all representatives are waiting on customers, calling parties are placed in a hold queue, and selectively connected to a representative once a representative comes available.
In general, when a caller is placed in a hold queue, the caller's queue position is dependent upon the receipt time of the call at the vendor location. Some companies utilize call center systems that sort callers into multiple queues according to selection criteria that a caller enters. For example, a user may select from a menu of five possible types of information the caller would like to receive, such that the caller is placed in one of five hold queues. However, ultimately, the caller's queue position within one of the five hold queues is dependent upon the time at which the caller makes a menu selection.
According to one example, a call processing apparatus may designate the position of a call within the queue in accordance with the potential economic value of the call. However, the call processing apparatus is limited in that each caller's position within the hold queue is adjusted in a manner that is hidden from the caller, allowing only the company to maintain control in the position of a caller within a hold queue.
According to another example, a caller may be enabled to change the caller's position within a hold queue by making a payment to the hold queue service. A caller may enter a credit card number or account number from which a charge for advancing in the hold queue is charged. While the call processing apparatus grants a caller control over the caller's position within a hold queue, the call processing apparatus is limited in that the control is given in exchange for the company receiving a direct economic benefit from adjusting the position of the caller within a hold queue.
Many companies utilize the time that a caller is waiting in hold call queue to broadcast over the telephone line. For example, a company may subscribe to or implement an ACD that plays music or advertising while callers wait in the hold queue. In addition, the ACD may verbally alert the caller to the amount of time estimated before a representative will be available, the position of the caller in the hold queue, and other information that will assure the caller of a changing position in the hold queue.
While call queuing provides advantages over a consumer retrying a call in response to a busy signal, ultimately call queuing may cause frustration and ill will of consumers towards a company, particularly where excessively long waits, full queues and accidental disconnects are encountered. Allowing consumers to feel some control over a position within the call queue without requiring the consumer to pay for the control would be advantageous in alleviating such frustrations.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a hold queue system that allows a caller to control the caller's position within a hold queue independent of the receipt time of the call. For example, it would be advantageous to provide a hold queue system that allows callers to adjust a position within a hold queue by competing in a game or other competition between callers. In another example, it would be advantageous to provide a hold queue system that grants advancement in the call queue according to caller participation in a survey on-line or via the telephone before, during, or after the call. Further, it would be advantageous to provide a hold queue system that allows a caller to redeem membership points in exchange for an adjustment of a position within a hold queue.